The Peacock and the Sparrow

A Novel

By: I.S. Berry

Narrated by: Pete Simonelli

Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

BEST FIRST NOVEL WINNER: Edgar Awards • International Thriller Writers Awards • Barry Awards • Macavity Awards

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker • NPR • The Diplomatic Courier

During the Arab Spring, an American spy’s final mission goes dangerously awry in this “crackling debut thriller” (The New Yorker) from a former CIA officer that Joseph Weisberg, creator of The Americans, calls “the most realistic espionage story I've read.”

Shane Collins, a world-weary CIA spy, is ready to come in from the cold. Stationed in Bahrain off the coast of Saudi Arabia for his final tour, he has little use for his mission—uncovering Iranian support for the insurgency against the monarchy. Then Collins meets Almaisa, a beautiful and enigmatic artist, and his eyes are opened to a side of Bahrain most expats never experience, to questions he never thought to ask.

When his trusted informant inside the opposition becomes embroiled in a murder, Collins finds himself drawn deep into the conflict. His budding romance with Almaisa—and his loyalties—are upended; in an instant, he’s caught in the crosswinds of a revolution. Drawing on all his skills as a spymaster, he sets out to learn the truth behind the Arab Spring, win Almaisa’s love, and uncover the murky border where Bahrain’s secrets end and America’s begin.

©2023 Ilana Berry. All rights reserve (P)2023 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Better and better as the story evolves

Detailed and poignant nuanced description of life as a spy. Reads like LeCarre in modern backdrop of Middle Eastern conflicts.

Nice writing slow start , long finish

The Writing is good but the organizatio of the story,fine in detail of place and character flows sometimes too slowly and sometimes like a to quick wrap up. I think still better work from the author. The beginning is not bad but slow. The middle flows well. But the ending coda contains too much of the plot that should have been woven into the story. The narrator is good but very downbeat rather than evocative or sorrowful. Do recommend it.

Excellent, clever, and well performed.

One needs to pay close attention. No good guys or gals in here. Antiheroes abound. Could have happened just as the story suggests. The CIA and USN take the biggest hits

Well written story with interesting outcome

As someone familiar with the area and the characters depicted in the story, it took me a while to warm up to the characters. As the story progressed, the descriptive narrative dropped bread crumbs along the path towards the ending that seem to lay the groundwork for a series IF the author elects to pick up the story in another book. Shades of LeCarre in here. Both subtle and raw. Nice work.

Riveting!

Unique, believable characters, vivid descriptions of a world I knew virtually nothing about, and a plot with countless unexpected twists!

More screenplay than spy novel

There are some clever turns and manipulations and I can see this working as a movie starring Danny Huston…. No awards or box office records, but profitable in the long run thanks to the 4:30pm spot on TNT. As a novel, I found some key characteristics in the protagonist to be unbelievable to the point of distraction. Luckily, I like spy novels. So while this one has flaws that prevent it from being highly recommended, I didn’t hate it and listened to the end. Just like some Danny Huston movie.

Rehash of ideas

Rehash of ideas from other authors of espionage fiction. Commentary about tradecraft was annoying. Particularly because most of it was so inane.

Stuck the landing

The story was slow going but it picked up in the final third. The main protagonist was interesting and I would enjoy another novel with him as the main protagonist. The twists in the end so did not see coming! As a matter of fact it threw me off as non-sense.

The final third allowed me to slowly put the pieces together and enjoy the outcome.

More than a page turner. A page burner of a mystery

I was sucked in by this insightful observer of flaws and moral qualms. I’m glad the experiences that informed this gritty tale were the authors rather than my own. The author has a cutting wit when painting a picture of overseas life, political machinations, and moral ambiguity. I listened to the book in two days and could barely stand to hit pause for work and sleep.

Great spy story

The descriptions of the locales are well done, you almost feel like you are there.